CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — With more than a third of households skipping buying food or medicine to pay an energy bill, according to LendingTree, it’s no wonder people are looking towards alternative energy.

According to ConsumerAffairs, consumers switching to solar could see a 75% decrease in their energy bill. West Virginians could save around $19,893, ConsumerAffairs said.

The average cost of a solar panel system in West Virginia after federal tax incentives, which take a portion of the cost off of the buyer, is $20,328, according to ConsumerAffairs. This makes West Virginia one of the most expensive states to build a solar power system. The states with the highest average cost of solar panels are Louisiana ($22,488), Texas ($21,654), Mississippi ($21,525), Virginia ($21,175) and Arizona ($21,011). The states with the lowest costs are Alaska ($10,122), Hawaii ($10,280), California ($11,466), Maine ($11,886) and Rhode Island ($11,928).

In West Virginia - where LendingTree said more than 30% of households couldn't pay a part of their energy bill in 2022 - the average cost per watt is $2.64. This places West Virginia in the middle in the average cost per watt category.